


I speak therefore he is

by Mt_Difficult



Category: 1984 - George Orwell
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, One Shot, POV Original Character, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, it doesn't really matter, or maybe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:47:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25618321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mt_Difficult/pseuds/Mt_Difficult
Summary: One can only be a member of the Inner Party if they have the most meticulously disciplined mind. For only those willing to blind themselves to evidence can truly love Big Brother.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	I speak therefore he is

“Comrades, a great victory has been achieved this day!” Paul announced into the _Speakpeat_ (the Vocabulary C Newspeak word for ‘voice recording device,’ derived from a simplification of the phrase ‘speak repeat’), the sleek mouthpiece held close to his cracked lips. “The vile forces of Eurasia have been forced back and over half a million prisoners have been taken. This is a momentous occasion! Oceania, now more than ever, is within measurable distance of bringing this long and arduous conflict to a close. So rejoice comrades, and pay thanks to our gallant men on the front lines, as they are what stands between you and bloody slaughter.”

Paul stopped the recording, replaced the mouthpiece onto the main body of the _Speakpeat_ and removed the tape from a slot on the back. It was a truly marvellous device, one which allowed the Party to constantly monitor its member’s speech, a task which it often performed more effectively than even the Telescreens.

One’s words when they believed the Telescreens to be absent were often more damning of thoughtcrime than what little they let slip while actively concealing their poisoned psyche. And it was for this reason that such a device’s existence was entirely concealed from the Outer Party, lest the thoughtcriminals among them grow more vigilant than they already were. As for more mundane purposes, a _Speakpeat_ could be used for simply recording messages.

As he crossed his office on the 58th floor of _Minitrue_ , he reflected, not for the first time, on his experience in _Miniluv_ several years prior. By necessity, every member of the Inner Party was cured by _Miniluv_ before being granted a job, as only the strongest and most disciplined minds could perform the tasks required of them.

They often had intimate knowledge of the machinations and motivations of the Party, dangerous knowledge that could easily lead an untrained mind to thoughtcrime. In this regard, Paul’s job was a particularly tricky one, and required a near constant application of doublethink in order to preserve his willing ignorance. If he ever let his guard down, even for a moment, he may start to properly comprehend that the one producing Big Brother’s public speeches was actually…

No, **stop.**

This was the application of the other technique necessary for the continual sanity of any Inner Party member, _Crimestop_ ; the ability to instinctively recognise when one is about to perform a thoughtcrime and immediately terminate that line of thinking in an effort to prevent it.

Paul carefully placed the tape into the nearby pneumatic tube, which quickly sucked the tape away to be reviewed and processed by other Party members. He then fed his notes and script into the nearby memory hole, watching as they disappeared in a flash of fire. They now no longer existed, and had never existed. There was no evidence of their existence, not physically and not mentally, to Paul or to anyone else.

He exited his office and began the long trek downstairs (the elevators had broken earlier that day, and repairs would not be complete before tomorrow). He was joined by groups of Outer Party members, all heading towards the canteen for dinner and chatting pleasantly among themselves about the availability of razor blades or the like.

These were matters of no concern to Paul, who as a member of the Inner Party had access to all the razor blades he could ever want. Similarly, as the Outer Party members exited the stairwell and began entering the canteen, Paul continued on, out of _Minitrue_ and into the dreary street, heading for his own house. Paul believed that if one possessed power, it was only natural for them to use it. It mattered not if that power was used for something as complex as changing the past, or something as simple as eating better food.

As Paul was rounding a corner leading to the street on which his house sat, a nearby Telescreen suddenly let out a swell of triumphant music, prompting him to stop and gaze expectantly at the device.

“Comrades, your attention please.” Intoned a pleasant female voice. “The following is an important announcement from our glorious leader, Big Brother himself!”

The voice that followed was deep and smooth, strong and commanding, yet at the same time gentle and kind.

“Comrades, a great victory has been achieved this day! The vile forces of Eurasia have been forced back and over half a million prisoners have been taken.”

Paul smiled at the wonderful news, his smile only growing as the speech continued.

“This is a momentous occasion! Oceania, now more than ever, is within measurable distance of bringing this long and arduous conflict to a close. So rejoice comrades, and pay thanks to our gallant men on the front lines. As they are what stands between you, and bloody slaughter.”

Paul immediately began applauding, uncaring that he was the only one present on the street.

No, he wasn’t alone.

Big Brother was right there, he was always right there. He was always there to give a rousing speech in times of victory or need, he was always there to ensure the success of his glorious nation, he was always there to watch and protect his people, even against themselves.

Especially against themselves.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a creative writing piece that I had to do for Literature class, but I enjoyed it so much that I decided to post it here just for fun. Let me know what you thought of it.


End file.
